The original 15th century church in Great Eversden was badly damaged by fire when it was struck by lightning on 8 July 1466. It was entirely rebuilt in the late 15th or early 16th centuries, possibly using some of the original materials. Substantial restoration work was also carried out in 1864 and 1920.
The church is built of clunch, ashlar, field stones and brick. Its most interesting features are:
- heavily timbered north porch, which has the date 1636 in a plaster panel overhead
- roofs of the chancel and nave, of 2 and 3 bays, which are late medieval
- rood stair in the thickened East end of the North wall of the nave
- choir stalls, which include two misericords from the first half of the 15th century (the first two on the south side)
- the pulpit, which is part octagonal with carved panels in two heights and dates from the 17th century.
A watercolour design of wild flowers by Mrs Nellie Riley, who lived in Little
Eversden, is on display in the chancel. This design formed the basis of a unique embroidered altar frontal for St Helen's Church, Little
Eversden. The frontal was given by Diana Croft and worked by Richard Croft in memory of the Reverend Harold Croft, who served in these parishes between 1983 and 1984 after his retirement from full-time ministry. The frontal was
stolen in 1998 during the Remembrance Day service at St Mary's. Visit St
Helen's for more about this.
The churchyard at St Mary's is surrounded by a clunch wall, which is capped with triangles of limestone.
Part of it collapsed and has been repaired. (See The Eversdens Scene and Eversden Events via Contents)
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